Chapter 3 We Are Over

Su Nian stayed at home for one night and went to Ms. Su Hong's "Sister Hong's Clothing Customization" store early on Sunday morning.

The morning light streamed in through the glass windows, giving the fabrics in the room a gentle golden edge.

She carefully took out the design draft from her bag. It was her recently completed summer collection, and every stroke of the brush was the result of her hard work. She wanted to select the best works from them to participate in the National Fashion Innovation Competition in September.

Her clothing series adds some modern style elements to traditional clothing.

"Mom, look at this waist-hugging design..." Su Nian spread the drawing on the cutting table and lightly touched the details with her fingertips.

The sunlight fell on her slender fingers, making the small red spots caused by the needle as she recently tried to learn the sewing technique particularly obvious - that was the proof of her hard work in mending the wounds these days.

Ms. Su Hong took a closer look, and the fine lines around her eyes smoothed out. "This button design is very unique. It would look more sophisticated if it were made of dark-patterned satin." She looked up at her daughter, her eyes filled with pride.

Since Su Nian went to college, the modified cheongsams and new Chinese-style dresses she designed have indeed attracted many young customers to the store.

"Sister Hong, Nian Nian's design is really good!" Aunt Fen came out from the inner room and handed a cup of scented tea to Su Nian.

This woman, nearly 40, has fine lines around her eyes, but the stitches on her hands are still delicate and even. Her husband died young, and she raised her eldest son alone with the skills she learned from Su Hong.

Su Nian took the tea handed to her by Aunt Fen with a smile: "Aunt Fen, I still need your help to check the style of this slanted-collar dress." She took a sip of tea, and the fragrance of jasmine bloomed on the tip of her tongue, temporarily diluting the bitterness of the past few days.

In the hot steam of tea, she thought vaguely: Life is like a piece of cloth. If it is cut, you have to make a new pattern, but some cracks cannot be repaired even with the finest stitches.

The three of them worked until the afternoon, and the sample garment began to take shape. Su Nian carefully hung the semi-finished product, smoothing out every wrinkle with her fingers.

The fabric flowed through her fingertips, as if it had life and obediently revealed the soul of the design.

"Go back to school, and we'll take care of the rest." Ms. Su Hong straightened her daughter's collar, her fingers carelessly brushing against her thin collarbone. "Remember to eat on time when you return to school."

After saying that, she handed a bag of food to her daughter and said, "Eat with Qiuyan. Bring her home for dinner next time. She's a good kid."

There are thousands of unspoken words hidden in the mother's eyes, like an unfinished dress with the stitches hidden in the invisible lining.

Su Nian nodded, and when she turned around, she didn't notice her mother's hesitant look.

She pushed open the door and was greeted by the June heat, a stark contrast to the cool, air-conditioned air inside. Just like the turmoil beneath her calm exterior, her emotions were surging within. While seemingly calm, she was already roiling within.

When I returned to school, the setting sun had dyed the dormitory building orange.

Just as Su Nian walked downstairs, a familiar figure suddenly emerged from the shade of the trees and blocked her way.

"Niannian, what's wrong with you lately? Why don't you pay any attention to me?" Li Yuan was wearing her favorite white shirt, and his canine teeth flashed dazzlingly in the sunset, like the last needle piercing her heart.

Su Nian paused.

She looked up at the boy who once made her heart beat, and suddenly found that his smile contained so much hypocrisy that she had never noticed.

It turns out that some people are like low-quality fabrics, shiny on the surface but faded after washing.

"Oh?" She raised her eyebrows slightly, her voice as light as a feather falling to the ground, "Who are you talking to, Li?" Her eyes were as calm as a pool of stagnant water, as if no matter how big a stone was thrown in, it would not cause any ripples.

Li Yuan's smile froze. "Are you still angry? It was just my buddies who started the trouble that day..."

"Cheer?" Su Nian chuckled, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the straps of her backpack. "So cheating is called cheering? Does He Qian know that's your definition?" Her voice was like a pair of blunt scissors, slowly and cruelly cutting off the last threads of love.

The betrayal that kept her awake at night was now talked about as calmly as if she were discussing the weather.

Fortunately, time is the best iron, and even the deepest wrinkles can be smoothed out.

Li Yuan reached out to pull her: "Niannian, listen to my explanation..."

"No need." Su Nian moved aside, her voice frighteningly calm. "You know what? I should thank you."

She looked directly into Li Yuan's bewildered eyes. "If it weren't for you, how would I have known that someone as bland and uninteresting as me could still be remembered so fondly? Li Yuan, we're over!"

Some growth is like the shrinking of cloth, which always requires a heart-wrenching washing.

After saying that, she walked into the dormitory building without looking back.

The moment the glass door closed, she heard Li Yuan shouting something behind her, but those words seemed to be separated by a thick layer of frosted glass and could no longer reach her heart.

Once the door of the heart is locked, not even an echo will be left.

At that moment, the bell rang for the end of class at the Chinese Medicine University. Si Yan was writing the properties, flavor, and meridians of the last herbal ingredient on the blackboard.

Chalk dust fell from his fingertips, just like his chaotic thoughts at the moment.

The rustling sound of students packing their books drifted over, but he stood at the podium without moving, his eyes fixed on the row of sycamore trees outside the window - some leaves were swirling in the wind, like thoughts that couldn't find their direction.

The girl that day seemed to be a friend of Lin Feier's classmate, and should also be a college student.

"College students..." Si Yan muttered to himself, his fingertips tapping lightly on the lesson plan book.

When the phrase "old cow eating young grass" popped up in his mind, Si Yan himself was stunned for a moment.

He shook his head with a laugh, reaching out to loosen his tie. He'd witnessed too many separations and deaths in his years as a doctor, and though he prided himself on being calm and composed, he'd fallen prey to a ridiculous drunken spree.

The glass of whiskey that he drank at the persuasion of his childhood friend Qin Chuan had such a strong aftertaste that it made all his restraint melt away like sugar in warm water.

It was obvious that the girl suffered a loss that night. I can't just remain indifferent. Should I ask Lin Feier about the girl's situation?

As he reached the stairs, his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a message from Qin Chuan: "Let's go back to Jiangcheng next week and meet at the old place."

Si Yan stared at the words, his brows furrowing unconsciously. It was because of him that he'd learned some underworld tactics after spending so much time abroad, and had forced them to drink three bottles of foreign liquor, calling it a "homecoming celebration."

The wine felt like fire as it slid down his throat. He clearly remembered saying "I can't drink anymore", but he was still forced to clink glasses with him.

Alcohol is such a bad thing.

It will blur the usually rigorous diagnosis, collapse the strictly observed sense of boundaries, and make him wake up to face the messy sheets and empty room, with only regret in his heart.

It's like using the wrong medicine. Not only will it fail to cure the disease, it will also cause new problems.

He pressed the reply button: "No, I'm busy lately."